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AHEPA Canada is proud to announce that Christos Argiriou was unanimously re-elected as Canadian President of AHEPA. The election took place at the AHEPA National Convention in Atlantic City, NJ.

Brother Christos hails from the Winnipeg Chapter of AHEPA and concluded an effective and memorable first year in office. His first year included multiple trips overseas where he represented the Canadian membership with professionalism and respect. Christos is well known for his relationship building as well as his calm and measured approach to all situations.

In his first act as President for 2018-2019, Christos is asking all members in Canada from all four Orders, to support the AHEPA Family Charitable Foundation of Canada (AFCFC) Greece Fire Relieve Program. Launched just days after the horrific disaster in the Raffina area, the AFCFC will provide tax receipts to Canadians for their donations to this cause.

The AFCFC has a strong history of ensuring that all funds raised reach their intended causes. Not only in Canada, but also for various disaster relief programs for Greece and USA.

“Our philanthropic arm, the AFCFC, will once again offer our members tax deductible receipts for their donations for this cause. Please indicate in the memo section of your check (2018 Fire Relief Fund) so that it can be properly recorded. Please share this with individuals in your Chapters and any individual in Canada who would like to donate” said Argiriou

Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, on the principles that undergirded its fight for civil rights and against discrimination, bigotry, and hatred felt at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, AHEPA is the largest and oldest grassroots association of American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes with more than 400 chapters across the United States, Canada, and Europe.

AHEPA’s mission is to promote the ancient Hellenic ideals of Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence through community service and volunteerism.

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Orlando, Florida – Christos Argiriou was elected the new President of AHEPA Canada at the conclusion of the annual AHEPA Family Supreme Convention at The Walt Disney World Yacht and Beach Club in Orlando, Florida on July 29, 2017. He will represent Canada on the Supreme Lodge of the AHEPA and serves as the chief spokesman for AHEPA in Canada. He succeeds Vassilios (Bill) Bakalis at the helm of the Canadian Order of AHEPA and will work closely with the newly‐elected Supreme President of AHEPA Carl R. Hollister. He also represents AHEPA in the Metropolitan Council of the Greek Orthodox Church in Canada.

Christos Argiriou is a respected business man who is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Born in Kerkini near Serres, the province of Macedonia in Greece, he immigrated at an early age to Canada to join his siblings in Toronto. He begun his career in real estate sales in Toronto and subsequently moved to Winnipeg where he engaged in the restaurant business and real estate development and management in Western Canada.

Christos joined the Winnipeg Chapter of AHEPA in 1992. In 2014 he was elected President of the Polikos Aster AHEPA Chapter of Winnipeg where he tripled the membership. In May 2015 he was elected Lieutenant Governor of the Royal Canadian AHEPA District 24 and in May 2016 was elected Governor of District 24 which encompasses the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, what constitutes Western Canada.

“I am humbled by the responsibility entrusted upon me to lead the oldest and largest grassroots heritage volunteer organization of the Greek Diaspora in Canada” Christos said at his installation ceremony. “Thank you for the trust and confidence that you have bestowed in me and I will strive to meet and exceed the expectations of this high office” he concluded.

Present during the installation were Past Canadian President Ken Matziorinis who invested Christos with the jewels of his office, Past Canadian President and Chairman of the AHEPA Board of Trustees Nick Aroutzidis, Past Canadian President Anthony Mavromaras, District 23 Governor Emmanuel Constas, District 23 Lieutenant Governor Anastasios Moussas, Byron Yankou, James Hutchison and Haritos Aroutzidis.

Our Chapter extends congratulations to the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Community of Winnipeg in celebrating 100 years of service. AHEPA members participated in the anniversary celebration on gokkasten-gratis March 25, 2017 at the Victoria Inn, Winnipeg, MB.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Bill Bakalis was unanimously elected the new President of AHEPA Canada at the 94th annual AHEPA Family Supreme Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. Brother Bakalis will represent Canada on the Supreme Lodge of the AHEPA and work closely with the newly-elected Order of AHEPA Supreme President Andrew C. Zachariades.

“I am honoured and humbled to be selected by our Canadian brothers to carry forward the important mission of AHEPA in our country,” says Bill Bakalis. “The Order of AHEPA has played and will continue to play an important role in the lives of Greek immigrants and families of Greek heritage across North America.”

Bill Bakalis lives in Kitchener, Ontario and served as past KW Chapter President and, most recently, District No. 23 Governor. Bill was born and raised in Trizinia Poros. After serving his military term, he immigrated to Canada in 1987. Bill studied economics and joined Sun Life in 1999, where he remains today as Financial Advisor. Bill is a proud family man – father of two boys – and he is both a soccer and motorcycle enthusiast. He returns to Poros as often as he can to visit his parents and family.

“We wish Brother Bill every success in forwarding our mission” said past AHEPA Canada President Ken Matziorinis, at the Installation Ceremonies on Friday, July 29th. Many Canadians Ahepans were also on hand in Las Vegas to celebrate the swearing in of the new Canadian president: Nick Aroutzidis, Frank Antoniou, Tony Mavromaras, Anastasos Moussas, Dino Kourtessis, Christos Argiriou, and Chris George.

AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association) is an international Hellenic heritage group that provides community service across folkeautomaten North America. The mission of The Order of AHEPA is to promote Hellenism, education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, and family and individual excellence. The organization was founded in the Atlanta, Georgia in 1922 and the first Canadian Chapter in Toronto was founded in 1928.

OTTAWA, ON. – Canadian President of AHEPA Ken Matziorinis today formally presented Canadian Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic and High Commissioner to Cyprus H.E. Robert W. Peck with the Aristotle Award at a brief ceremony held at the Canadian Museum of History. This award is presented by the Supreme Lodge of AHEPA to an Outstanding Hellene or Philhellene who has distinguished himself in his respective profession or field of endeavour.

The award was originally announced at AHEPA’s 41st Biennial Congressional Banquet on April 29, 2015 in Washington, D.C. by Supreme President Phillip T. Frangos, which Ambassador Peck was unable to attend.

“It gives me great pleasure to place in your hands the esteemed Aristotle Award on behalf of the Supreme Lodge and the entire Canadian AHEPA Family” said Canadian President Ken Matziorinis.

Ambassador Peck has worked tirelessly to expand Greek-Canadian trade and investment and has been instrumental in attracting billions of dollars of direct investment to Greece and making Canada the leading foreign direct investor. He has been instrumental in expanding educational and cultural ties between the two nations, among many other achievements. Noteworthy is the bilateral Youth Mobility Agreement (YMA) signed during the visit of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to Athens in 2011, which allows young people in both countries to broaden their professional work experience abroad.

“Ambassador Peck has been an exemplary ‘ambassador of Hellenism’ and has strengthened the strong ties between Hellas and Canada” said Canadian President Matziorinis. “He has made all Canadians of Hellenic descent proud with his achievements and his love for Greece”.

Among those present in the award handing ceremony were the Ambassador of Greece to Canada, His Excellency George Marcantonatos, His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios of the Greek Orthodox Church in Canada, the Honourable Madame Justice Andromache Karakatsanis of the Supreme Court of Canada, Nikos Hatzitheodosiou, President of the Ottawa Chapter of AHEPA, Bessie Giovanopoulos V.P. of the Ottawa DOP Chapter, Past Canadian President of the DOP Alice Sophianopoulos and Margaret Dritsas of the Ottawa Daughters of Penelope. Also in attendance were the the Former Ambassador of Greece to Canada Eleftherios Anghelopoulos, Costas Menegakis, M.P. for Richmond Hill, Fr. Alexandros Michalopoulos , Nikos Lafkas, President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Ottawa and Emmanuel Kammarianakis, Canadian Consul General in Dubai .

It is worth noting that in 1998, Ambassador Peck was awarded the insignia of Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix by the President of the Hellenic Republic for excellence in the public sphere.

Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, and in 1928 in Toronto, Ontario, to protect individuals from the evils of bigotry and discrimination, AHEPA is the largest and oldest grassroots association of American and Canadian citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes with more than 400 chapters across the United States, Canada, Greece, Cyprus and Europe with affiliates in Australia and New Zealand. The mission of AHEPA is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence through community service and volunteerism.

MONTREAL, QUE. – On the occasion of the 100th anniversary commemoration of the Armenian Genocide AHEPA Canada calls on the Government of the Turkish Republic to recognize what the overwhelming majority of historians and academic institutions on Holocaust and Genocide Studies, including the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) agree, that the massacres and forced deportations of Armenian, Pontian and Anatolian Greeks, Assyrians, Syriacs and other Christians constitutes a Genocide against these people.

AHEPA Canada also calls on the Government of the Turkish Republic to allow Turkish scholars and journalists the freedom to research and publish their findings on the historical events and engage in an open public debate free of threats and intimidation, for we believe that the Turkish people possess the maturity and desire to accept the facts, make amends and move forward toward reconciliation, friendship and cooperation.

The path towards forgiveness and reconciliation can only begin by accepting the truth and taking responsibility for our actions. This is the only way to build lasting friendships and ensure that past mistakes are not repeated in the future.

We join with the Armenian community of Canada in remembrance of those individuals that perished during the Armenian Genocide, while also remembering the slaughter of all Christian minorities during that time period, including the Pontian and Anatolian Greeks. May their memories be eternal.

VANCOUVER, BC – On Sunday December 14, 2014, the AHEPA Family in District #26 held their 26th annual Scholarship Christmas Dinner. District #26 gave away a total of $10,000.00 (ten thousand) in scholarships this year to 10 fantastically deserving students. Read More

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MONTREAL, QUE. – AHEPA Canada is dismayed by the publication of a map by the Toronto branch of UMD (United Macedonian Diaspora) in the Toronto Star issue of July 31, 2014, displaying the irredentist claims against Greece and Bulgaria by ethnic nationalists from FYROM (see attached map below).

Such maps depicting the entire Greek province of Macedonia and the Blagoevgrad prefecture in Bulgaria as being parts of a ‘United Macedonia’ along with a picture of Alexander the Great that the entire world and scholarly community (1) know was Greek are blatant and provocative acts that only serve to confuse the public, undermine harmony and fuel ethnic distrust and discord among ethnic groups and nation states.

AHEPA Canada believes that Canadian citizens -irrespective of their ethnic origin or religious background- ought to leave their ethnic and religious differences and animosities at the immigration gate. Once they become citizens of Canada they should strive to live in harmony and mutual respect with each other and focus on contemporary challenges that affect the wellbeing of Canadians in the interest of building a stronger country domestically and a more tolerant, peaceful and secure world internationally.

Actions that blatantly attempt to falsify history, redraw national boundaries, spread hate, defame ethnic groups or nations only lead to conflict and pain and should be avoided when the peoples of Greece, FYROM and Bulgaria share the same human challenges of securing peace, happiness and prosperity in the Balkans.

(1) For proof see Letter to President Barack Obama, signed by 375 eminent Historians, Classicists and Archaeologists in 2009: http://macedonia-evidence.org/obama-letter.html

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Ken Matziorinis was elected the new President of AHEPA Canada at the conclusion of the 92nd annual AHEPA Family Supreme Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana on July 26, 2014. He represents Canada on the Supreme Lodge of the AHEPA. He succeeds George Vassilas who served the past three years at the helm of the Canadian Order of AHEPA, and will work closely with the newly-elected Supreme President of AHEPA Philip T. Frangos. Dr. Ken Matziorinis is a respected economist who is based in Montreal, Quebec. He has taught economics for 35 years at McGill University and John Abbott College. He has authored four textbooks in economics and been twice awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award at McGill. He is the co-founder and managing partner of Canbek Economic Consultants Inc., a management consulting and macroeconomics forecasting and investment advisory firm. Ken has served on numerous boards including the Hellenic Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and the Canadian subsidiary of the National Bank of Greece (1991-2006).

Ken is a 25-year veteran of the Mount Royal Chapter CJ7 of AHEPA in Montreal. Has served the AHEPA in every executive capacity including Chapter President (2009-2011); V.P. Education; Lt. Governor (2011-2013) and Governor (2013-2014) of AHEPA District 23, Ken has contributed in the organization of the 2010 AHEPA Supreme Convention in Montreal, and the 2011 Montreal Conference on Emerging Hellenic-Israeli Relations and has played key fund-raising roles in philanthropic activities that have secured the naming rights to the AHEPA Family School of the Shriners Hospital in Montreal and the endowment of the Papachristidis Chair of Modern Greek Studies at McGill University.

Ken’s passions have been his family (is the father of two daughters), and AHEPA’s promotion of the Hellenic ideals of Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Excellence. He has a deep interest in Greece’s geopolitical concerns in Southeast Europe as well as issues regarding religious freedoms and the preservation of the cultural heritage of the Christian Orthodox Church in the Near East. He believes that the over than 300,000 strong Hellenic-Canadian community deserves to play a more active and prominent role in Canadian affairs and the policy-making process. -2- “I am humbled by the responsibility entrusted upon me to lead AHEPA one of the oldest and the largest grassroots heritage volunteer organization of the Greek Diaspora in Canada” Ken said at his installation ceremony. “I thank the membership of AHEPA for the trust and confidence they have shown in me and I only hope that I will meet and exceed the expectations of this high office” he concluded. Born in New York City in 1954, he grew up in Piraeus, Greece in the 1960s and has spent most of his life in Montreal, Quebec.

Ken speaks English, French and Greek fluently. “We wish Brother Ken every success in his new mission” quipped Past Canadian AHEPA Presidents George Vassilas, Frank Antoniou, Tony Mavromaras and Nicholas Spillios who were present at the installations.